Nobody said it would be easy.

Evan McMullin, the ex-CIA operative, former senior advisor to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, and 11^th hour Never Trump candidate has missed his window to get on the ballot in California, but he’s not giving up. His campaign plans to pursue a lawsuit to gain access.

Candidates had until Friday to file the 178,039 valid signatures of registered voters needed to get on the ballot. But on Monday, McMullin campaign chief strategist Joel Searby confirmed that the campaign had missed that deadline and was looking for alternative routes to get on the ballot.

“In California, both the legal and write-in options remain for us and we intend to pursue any and all options to ensure that Californian’s get a chance to vote for Evan McMullin in November,” Searby said in an email.

Only 1,000 signatures were needed for the Utah ballot. On Monday, McMullin’s camp reported that he had made the ballot and would be basing his campaign headquarters there.

There are actually about two dozen states where McMullin’s late entry into the race have caused him to be shut out. Knowing the obstacles he has to overcome, his campaign intends to explore every option available.

McMullin, a CIA veteran, is running as a conservative alternative to Donald Trump, hoping to draw Republicans alienated by the Republican nominee’s temperament, personal history or domestic and foreign policy proposals.

This is the very definition of a long shot. McMullin has said that he waited so long to enter the race because he wanted to see if anyone else would come forward. They didn’t, so here he is.

Personally, I’m still considering my options. I’ll say definitively that anyone not named “Clinton” or “Trump” has a chance to earn my vote in November.

This is the year of the long shots. Our nation cannot afford to risk what has been forced on us by the media, backroom power players, and an angry, dumbed down and dying culture. If there be any left among us clinging to the true patriot spirit, we need to be willing to break out of this cattle car we’ve been lured into.

Said McMullin of his bid for the presidency:

“In a year where Americans have lost faith in the candidates of both major parties, it’s time for a generation of new leadership to step up. It’s never too late to do the right thing, and America deserves much better than either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton can offer us. I humbly offer myself as a leader who can give millions of disaffected Americans a better choice for President.”

A bit more detailed and hopeful than the vague and pandering, “Make America great again” or “Vote for me. I have a vagina.”

The world should be watching with interest. I certainly am.